


Discriminating

by adiwriting



Series: Hearing Verse [15]
Category: Glee
Genre: Deaf!Blaine, Glee AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-26 10:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1684625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adiwriting/pseuds/adiwriting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine gets upset after he applies for a job and doesn't get it because he's Deaf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Discriminating

It’s not that he’s never been discriminated against before. He has. Countless times. More times than he cares to admit, actually. It’s just that this time has hit him harder than usual. He feels so stupid for even applying to the coffee shop to start with. The last thing he wanted was to be a dish boy somewhere, but it’s not like he can run a register. He’d have to lip read and vocalize for that, and he gets enough of a headache in his classes trying to understand all of his hearing peers.

No. He didn’t really want the job, but that didn’t give that jackass of a manager an excuse to tell him not to even bother applying for the job because he’s deaf. God, Blaine had wanted to cry so much when he realized what the manager was telling him. Thankfully, Sebastian was there to give him a verbal smack down that had the entire shop staring at the manager in disgust… but still. It was humiliating to be looked at as incompetent just because he can’t hear.

It has not been Blaine’s week. First, he had to drop a class after the course load proved too difficult to handle while he was still adjusting to life in the big city. Then, his interpreter hadn’t shown up to his 8am class and he’d been forced to lipread for all 75 minutes of Music Theory. He couldn’t even ask his classmates for notes, because none of them sign and they’d all run out of the room before he could have a chance to write his request down on paper. Now, he has an essay for that class due tomorrow and since he missed a good 75% of the lecture, he has no idea what to write about. Yesterday, he’d been walking down the street and was knocked over by one of the bicycle messengers, likely because he couldn’t hear, and ruined his nice khaki pants just as he was about to walk into a restaurant to meet Kurt for dinner.

He’d never expected New York to be a walk in the park, but he’d never expected to struggle so much. 

HOW’S YOUR DAY GOING? Blaine asks Kurt once the FaceTime call finally connects.

The WiFi in Kurt’s apartment is horrible and it makes video calls between them incredibly difficult. It wouldn’t matter, except that both of their schedules are insane and they haven’t quite figured out how to see each other on a regular basis. He doesn’t want their entire relationship to turn into texts… he wants to at least be able to see his boyfriend, even if he can’t physically be with him all that often.

IT’S HORRIBLE, Kurt signs, and Blaine notices how exhausted he looks. MADAM TIBIDEAUX MADE ME DO AN IMPROMPTU PERFORMANCE IN THE MIDDLE OF LUNCH.

HOW’D IT GO? he asks.

FINE, he signs. I MADE IT WORK, BUT THAT SCHOOL IS SO STRESSFUL. I DON’T KNOW HOW I’LL SURVIVE TWO YEARS OF IT.

Blaine feels his pain, but at least Kurt isn’t looking at four years of misery. At least he’ll be finished and graduated long before Blaine will be.

I’M SURE YOU WERE GREAT, he signs.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Kurt asks. DID YOU APPLY FOR THAT JOB?

I DECIDED NOT TO, he lies, while Sebastian looks up from his bed in shock.

YOU DIRTY LIAR, Sebastian signs and Blaine purposefully turns his back on him and places the computer so that Kurt won’t see Sebastian.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to tell Kurt, it’s just that… we’ll he doesn’t want to tell Kurt. His day’s been horrible enough as it is and if Kurt finds out about what happened, he’ll just want to talk about it. Or worse, he’ll want to fix it. Besides, Kurt’s had a stressful enough day, he doesn’t need to tack on more stress to it.

WHY NOT? I THOUGHT YOU NEEDED MONEY? Kurt asks.

YEAH, I JUST DON’T WANT TO DO IT WORKING IN A COFFEE SHOP, he quickly makes up an excuse.

WHAT’S WRONG WITH A COFFEE SHOP? Kurt asks, looking defensive. WE MET IN A COFFEE SHOP.

AND YOU WERE THE BEST BARISTA I’VE EVER HAD, he signs with a smile. BUT I WOULDN’T BE A BARISTA, I WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISHWASHER. EXPLAIN HOW THAT WOULD HELP MY RESUME.

I UNDERSTAND, BUT THERE’S SUCH A THING AS BILLS AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WORK CRAPPY JOBS TO PAY THEM, Kurt explains, causing him to roll his eyes.

He understands that. It’s the entire reason he’d applied for the crappy, minimum wage job in the first place. It’s not his fault that the manager turned him down because he’s Deaf. Of course, to get Kurt to stop lecturing him, he’d have to explain what happened. He isn’t about to do that.

I KNOW THAT, OKAY? He shrugs. I EMAILED THE LEXINGTON SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF TODAY. I’M WAITING TO SEE IF THEY WILL LET ME TUTOR THEIR STUDENTS.

WELL HOPEFULLY THEY GET BACK TO YOU SOON, Kurt signs. LISTEN, I’VE GOTTA RUN. I’M GOING TO BE LATE FOR MY SIGN CLASS.

YOU COULD STAY IN AND I’LL TEACH YOU SIGN… he flirts shamelessly. He doesn’t want Kurt to go. One of the only parts of New York City he likes so far is that Kurt’s here and neither of their parents are.

EVERY TIME YOU TRY TO TEACH ME SIGN, WE END UP MAKING OUT INSTEAD. Kurt glares at him, playfully. Blaine pouts, he hates that they can’t see each other as often as they’d like. I’LL MAKE YOU A DEAL. WHEN CLASS GETS OUT, I’LL BRING YOU ICE CREAM AND HELP YOU WRITE THAT ESSAY YOU’RE STRUGGLING WITH. DEAL?

I LOVE YOU, he signs.

YOU’D BETTER, Kurt replies before blowing a kiss at the camera and ending the call.

The second he turns around, he wants to smack the smug look off of Sebastian’s face.

I’LL NEVER LIE TO YOU KURT. I LOVE YOU. HONESTY IS THE KEY TO ANY RELATIONSHIP, Sebastian imitates him and Blaine sends him an unamused look.

WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO SAY? he asks.

THAT THE ASSHOLE VIOLATED YOUR ADA RIGHTS, Sebastian signs. He’s been bugging Blaine to file a formal complaint about what happened, but they both know what will happen if he does. Nothing. There’ll be a call made to the coffee shop where the manager will claim some other reason for not hiring Blaine and that will be that.

KURT WILL JUST GET UPSET AND WANT TO TRY AND FIX IT, he explains, doing his best to justify his actions. THERE’S NOTHING THAT HE CAN DO, SO WHY TELL HIM?

SHIT, YOU’RE ACTUALLY UPSET ABOUT THIS, Sebastian signs, sitting back down on his bed in shock.

YES. He glares. What did Sebastian think? Not everyone can live off of their infinite trust funds. Blaine’s parents might be well off, but between the tuition at Dalton and now paying for NYU, they don’t have the money to pay for much more beyond room and board. If he wants to have money to take Kurt out, or buy new clothes, or see an occasional show, he’s going to have to pay for it himself.

IF YOU NEED MONEY… Sebastian doesn’t say it, but he understands the offer well enough.

I DON’T NEED YOU PAYING FOR THINGS, he signs, making sure it’s clear that he won’t be accepting any charity from the Bank of Smythe anytime soon.

WELL DON’T SAY I DIDN’T OFFER.

Blaine pulls his book bag out from under his desk and moves to get started on his homework, it’s going to be a long night of studying. He never imagined that college would be so hard. He was a good student at Dalton, after he got over the initial shock of having all of his classes suddenly signed for him. However, this was different. He knows most of the freshman he’s with are struggling as well, but he’s the only one with the added stress of having to suddenly learn through his non-native language.

I JUST HATE BEING DEAF SOMETIMES, he groans fifteen minutes later, throwing his textbook against the wall in frustration.

EXCUSE ME? Sebastian sits up in his bed from where he’d been blogging on his computer and sends him the dirtiest look.

DON’T LECTURE ME RIGHT NOW, he pleads. He knows how horrible it is to complain about being Deaf. He doesn’t actually hate being Deaf. It’s just that the world is not made for the Deaf and sometimes that really, really sucks.

I KNOW HOW YOU’RE FEELING, Sebastian signs, moving to sit on Blaine’s bed so that they are closer. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME EVER GOING TO A HEARING SCHOOL.

IT SUCKS, Blaine signs. WHY DIDN’T WE GO TO GALLAUDET?

NYU IS HARD, Sebastian continues, as if he hadn’t said anything. I’M FAILING MY ENGLISH CLASS BECAUSE MY TEACHER IS A BITCH AND DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THAT ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE. BUT WE ARE STRUGGLING BECAUSE THE WORLD IS FUCKED UP, NOT US.

Blaine knows that Sebastian is right. In his heart of hearts, he knows there’s nothing wrong with either of them. It doesn’t make school any easier, though.

BLAINE. PLEASE TELL ME YOU AREN’T GOING TO LET THIS FUCKER TAKE AWAY YOUR DEAF PRIDE? Sebastian asks him, demanding an answer.

YOU’RE RIGHT, he gives in. He can’t let this school bring him down. He can’t let one stupid manager of a coffee shop determine his self-worth.

I ALWAYS AM, Sebastian replies, earning him a smack on the back of his head.

LET’S EAT, I’M STARVING, he says. They both grab their meal cards and head out the door.

As they are on the elevator going down, praying it doesn’t get stuck again — why do they live on the top floor again? — Sebastian looks over at him like he’s just thought of something amazing.

WE SHOULD START MAKING VIDEOS OF ALL THE STUPID SHIT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IN THE CITY, Sebastian signs.

DEAF IN THE CITY, he jokes, picturing the two of them complaining about hearing people in the same way Samantha had always complained about boys.

YEAH, Sebastian agrees, looking at Blaine like he’s missing something important.

He thinks about it. They’ve been making YouTube videos together ever since Blaine started at Dalton. They’ve continued it here in the city, but it’s never quite felt the same without the rest of their Dalton friends in the video with them. They’ve also been struggling with their channel because they have enough subscribers to actually make money off of their videos, but since they usually sign covers to other artist’s music, they can’t profit off of anything. They’ve been toying with the idea of changing things up… figuring out something original to do.

YOU KNOW, WE ACTUALLY SHOULD, Blaine signs, getting excited. EXCEPT, INSTEAD OF MAKING VIDEOS ABOUT HOW HARD EVERYTHING IS, WE SHOULD DO LIKE… A HOW-TO OF ALL THE STUFF IN THE CITY THAT’S ACTUALLY ACCESSIBLE AND COOL FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY.

Sebastian thinks about it, but Blaine can tell he’s getting excited about the idea as well.

WE’D BE ABLE TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF OUR CHANNEL, Sebastian says as they both make their way into the cafeteria.

I’D ACTUALLY HAVE A JOB. He nods.

A HELL OF A BETTER ONE THAN PICKING UP THAT HEARING ASSHOLE’S DISHES ALL DAY, FOR SURE, Sebastian signs.

SO WE’LL DO IT? he asks, crossing his fingers.

DEAF IN THE CITY WITH YOUR HOSTS BLAINE AND SEBASTIAN, Sebastian signs over-dramatically. SOUNDS PERFECT.


End file.
